Icarus
This is a lot to fit into one book, but I'm not sure it should have been more than one book either.
Mostly, I wish there was more description to ground us in the world. We move so quickly from plot point to plot point (especially at the end) that I would have liked to sit more firmly in the moments we do experience. Instead, I think the result was a bit too "floaty" -- it almost felt like we could have had Snow end up in any kind of scene or setting, with almost equal (ie lack of) weight. But I realize more description would pad an already high page count.
It's been a long time since I've read the other books, but I think that's generally just Collins' style -- both moving the plot quickly and the lack of description, which ultimately do work well enough for a YA audience.
One of Collins' strengths that I enjoy is revealing plot points that feel unexpected but inevitable. What's difficult, I think, in writing any prequel, is that we know the fate of the main character. Because we know we see Snow again, I would have liked the emotional arc of /why/ he is how he is to feel more compelling. Snow is a deeply flawed character, and we're absolutely meant to understand him as such, but ultimately I didn't have any big moments of remorse for him -- just a resigned loss at those around him. Looking back, there was a great, slow moral deterioration of choices, though.
This sounds like I mostly have negative things to say, but this is a solid book, and I have a ton of respect for Collins to return to writing this series because the public (or mostly the media?) Didn't Get The Message, and because she has more to say about our own world.
This is a lot to fit into one book, but I'm not sure it should have been more than one book either.
Mostly, I wish there was more description to ground us in the world. We move so quickly from plot point to plot point (especially at the end) that I would have liked to sit more firmly in the moments we do experience. Instead, I think the result was a bit too "floaty" -- it almost felt like we could have had Snow end up in any kind of scene or setting, with almost equal (ie lack of) weight. But I realize more description would pad an already high page count.
It's been a long time since I've read the other books, but I think that's generally just Collins' style -- both moving the plot quickly and the lack of description, which ultimately do work well enough for a YA audience.
One of Collins' strengths that I enjoy is revealing plot points that feel unexpected but inevitable. What's difficult, I think, in writing any prequel, is that we know the fate of the main character. Because we know we see Snow again, I would have liked the emotional arc of /why/ he is how he is to feel more compelling. Snow is a deeply flawed character, and we're absolutely meant to understand him as such, but ultimately I didn't have any big moments of remorse for him -- just a resigned loss at those around him. Looking back, there was a great, slow moral deterioration of choices, though.
This sounds like I mostly have negative things to say, but this is a solid book, and I have a ton of respect for Collins to return to writing this series because the public (or mostly the media?) Didn't Get The Message, and because she has more to say about our own world.